Bestest Friend
Plot Summary During lunch, Zim overhears a girl talking at another lunch table. She is wondering why Zim has no friends. She says that having no friends is so inhuman. Zim hears this and fears that his secret get out when others realize that he has no friends. He goes over to the "rejects" table, and asks which of them wishes to be his friend. After talking to a couple he poses three challenges to the remaining children. He tests their absorbency, electro conductivity, and issues a "final test" that includes a beaver and mini taxi. He determines Keef to be the winner and his best friend. After a full day of friend-filled insanity, Zim dismisses Keef and states that he requires Keef's services no longer. Keef doesn't get the message and proceeds to stalk Zim. In a final attempt to rid himself of Keef after hearing of a surprise party Keef is throwing for him, Zim constructs a device which rips Keef's eyes out of his sockets and replaces them with new eyes. These new eyes have hypnotic properties. Zim uses them to convince Keef that a squirrel is Zim. The episode closes with Keef falling of a building and exploding with GIR superimposed on the screen stirring his cake batter. Facts of Doom * Where Keef continually rides his bike in front of Zim's house is most likely an homage to the horror movie The Omen. Although, it could be an homage to other famous horror movie bike scenes like in The Shining. * When Gir goes into Duty Mode, only his eyes turn red, like in The Nightmare Begins. However, in the very next scene, all the cyan parts of his body turn red. * The title was in the squiggly font instead of the Invader Zim font. * This is the first appearance of Zim's robot arms. * It seems odd that Dib didn’t accept the invitation to the party at Zim’s house because it would have been the perfect opportunity for him to snoop around and get more information on Zim. * The silly music that plays in the background when it shows Zim and Keef on the Screen actually parodies itself and other children's shows' "friendship" scenes. * The picture that Keef draws of him and Zim is possibly a homage to a piece entitled Maddona and Child, ''with Keef as Maddona and Zim as the child. * This episode was originally aired with Dark Harvest,but they were deemed "Too Twisted" to be aired together. Changes and Cuts * There was originally going to be a sequel to the episode called Return of Keef, in the end of which Keef explodes, but reforms shortly afterward. * In the DVD commentary it was stated that Jhonen Vasquez wanted a blood splatter on the wall in the "Taxicab and Squirrel" scene. This is a possible homage to one of Jhonen Vasquez's earlier works, Johnny the Homicidal Maniac. * When Keef is attacked by the squirrel and falls off a building, he was originally supposed to fall onto an electricity poles' wires or a car drives by and keef gets stuck to one of its wires. Nick wouldn't allow it, so the scene was eventually redone. Inconsistencies and Animation Errors * Keef has normal eyes in every other episode with him, despite the fact that his eyes looked different in this episode. * Melvin originally throws away his party invitation but still goes to the party anyway, though he disappears during one of the later scenes at the party. * While Zim is jumping on the table from the peas, Zim's pants turn white for about a second. They turn black before he stops flopping around, however. Quotes '''Reporter': Congratulations on discovering the grotesque space monster! Tell us, how did you know he was an alien? Scientists: Well, we noticed he had no friends... friends... friends... friends... friends... Zim: I'm looking for a friend. Would you be — Fish-boy: I was born with webbed fish toes. Like some kind of horrible fish-boy. Wanna see? Zim: I'd like you to meet Keef. He's my best friend. Not yours, mine. Keef: And then tomorrow we can go to the circus. I love the circus! You wanna go to the circus Zim? Zim: I want to congratulate you on a job well done. You have been a most convincing friend, but now that the world seems satisfied with my knack for companionship, I no longer require your services. Good job soldier! Be gone with you. GIR: MEOW!!!! Related Links Bestest Friend (Transcript) Episode 02 Credits Category:Season 1 Category:Zim Filmography Category:Dib Filmography